Exercise apparatus and kit
An exercise apparatus may include: a housing including a height configured to be mounted to a surface, a first longitudinal axis extending through the height; a biasing member, the biasing member including a substantially rigid upper section, a substantially rigid lower section, and a flexible joint therebetween, the flexible joint providing a flexural resistance, wherein the lower section is coupled to the housing and a second longitudinal axis extends through the upper section; and a handle coupled to the upper section, wherein the biasing member is transitionable between a first position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are generally parallel or collinear, and a second position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are orthogonal with respect to one another, the biasing member being biased to toward the first position. A kit including the same is also disclosed.
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This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent 62/016,885, filed on Jun. 25, 2014, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUNDTechnical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to exercise apparatus and kit for components of the same, and more particularly, to a device that enables the performance of abdominal exercises in a standing up position.
Description of the Related Art
Currently, abdominal exercises are performed when in either a supine or sitting position. For a variety of reasons assuming a supine or sitting position is not ideal. For example, a lack of floor space, unclean and/or unsanitary ground surface, a lack of floor mats or other equipment that facilitate laying on a hard surface, physical impairments, and other issues may preclude or discourage one from assuming a supine or sitting position. Thus, many individuals are precluded or discouraged from engaging in heath-promoting abdominal exercises.
There is a continuing need for a device that enables or facilitates performing abdominal exercises in a standing up position.
SUMMARY AND ASPECTS OF THE INVENTIONIt is now recognized that there are several detriments in the related arts, at least one of which is overcome by one aspect of the proposed disclosure.
Generally, an exercise kit, apparatus, and system may be securable to a surface such as a door. The exercise kit and apparatus facilitate performing abdominal exercises while in a standing position. The apparatus includes a biasing member that provides added flexural resistance while performing the exercises. In the kit, various biasing members may be provided, each having a different flexural resistance.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, an exercise apparatus may include: a housing including a height configured to be mounted to a surface, a first longitudinal axis extending through the height; a biasing member, the biasing member including a substantially rigid upper section, a substantially rigid lower section, and a flexible joint therebetween, the flexible joint providing a flexural resistance, wherein the lower section is coupled to the housing and a second longitudinal axis extends through the upper section; and a handle coupled to the upper section.
The biasing member may be transitionable between a first position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are generally parallel or collinear, and a second position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are orthogonal with respect to one another, the biasing member being biased to toward the first position. The flexible joint may include a flexible tube and at least one spring element disposed within the tube. The at least one spring element may include a first and second spring. The first and second springs may be intertwined such that they define a common central axis extending lengthwise therethrough. The biasing member may be releasably coupled to both the housing and the handle. A flexible sleeve may be disposed within the spring element, the sleeve being substantially aligned with the tube.
A foot rest being may be coupled to the housing. The foot rest may include a surface, the surface defining a geometric plane, the surface being transitionable between a first position in which the plane is orthogonal with respect to the first longitudinal axis and a second position in which the plane is substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis. The biasing member may be releasably coupled to the housing and to the handle. The handle may include a pair of handles that are configured to conform to a shape of user's shoulders.
An exercise kit may include the above described exercise apparatus, and may further include a plurality of biasing members that each have a different flexural resistance value. The biasing members may be releasably coupled to the handle and to the housing such that they may be swapped for a particular biasing member having a desired flexural resistance value.
It is further understood that the proposed exercise apparatus and kit may be understood as an exercise system and operate as an integrated system for exercise.
It is further understood that one aspect of the present invention allows an adjustment of the supporting platform relative to the floor for easy door-access and use, as well as optional automatic movement of a supporting platform via an adjustment element to enhance such door-access and use.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate similar or the same elements.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. The word ‘couple’ and similar terms do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through intermediate elements or devices. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional (up/down, etc.) or motional (forward/back, etc.) terms may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope in any manner. It will also be understood that other embodiments may be utilized without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, and that the detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and that elements may be differently positioned, or otherwise noted as in the appended claims without requirements of the written description being required thereto.
Broadly, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an exercise apparatus. The exercise apparatus may include a pair of handle or gripping bars, a biasing member, a housing, a spring surrounded by rubber and a handle element. The housing may have a box-like shape defining a pair of aligned holes so as to slidably receive the handle element. The handle element may be connected to the handle bars by the spring surrounded by rubber that slidably receives both. The spring surrounded by rubber may form an enclosure operably housing the biasing member so that the spring sleeve acts as a hinge for the connected handle bars that the biasing member biased in an aligned position thereto. The biasing member may be adapted to provide flexural resistance when torque and/or bending is applied to the connected handle bars over a range of movement for the handle bars of at least 180 degrees.
Referring to
A first handle element or an upper tube 28a may be operably coupled to the pair of handles 10. It will also be recognized that the pair of handles 10 may be replaced by a pair of flexible strap or web-members (noted here but not shown) allowing a user to use flexible hand-grips to connect to the upper tube 28a for ease of gripping. Where such flexible strap or web-members are used they would also include a handle or gripping member at the end for ease of use. As shown, the pair of handles 10 may be operably coupled to the upper tube 28a, which may be generally straight and may have a length substantially corresponding to the length of the person's back B. A second handle element or a lower tube 28b may be secured to the housing 16 at one or more positions such that the height of the lower tube 28b relative to the frame 30 may be adjusted.
A biasing assembly 11 may include upper and lower tubes 28a, 28b and a bendable section 13 that may be disposed between the upper and lower tubes 28a, 28b together and may couple the upper and lower tubes 28a, 28b. The upper and lower tubes 28a, 28b and the bendable section 13 may be substantially co-linear. In use, a user may position himself with the handles 10 on his shoulders and his back generally aligned with the upper tube 28a. The user may contract his stomach muscles to cause this back to rotate along directional arrow A which causes a corresponding bending of the bendable section 13. As a noted benefit hereof, there is no need to pressure the lower back by resting on a ‘floor’ to conduct a ‘sit-up’ motion which can be painful for some people and can be difficult to transition between floor-sitting and standing for those who are injured in their limbs or back area.
The bendable section 13 (shown best in
An adjustable assembly 50 (see
The adjustment element 18 may be interconnected to the mounting post 24 by the adjustable spring 12. The adjustable spring 12 may be configured to expand and contract so that the foot rest 20 may ergonomically lower to a supporting surface when a user steps thereon, and so that the foot rest 20 conveniently raises upwardly off the supporting surface (e.g., floor), on which the foot rest is resting, when the user dismounts so that the frame 30 may move without the foot rest 20 frictionally engaging the supporting surface. Where the frame 30 is secured to a supporting wall 34 (
Additionally, as will be noted in
The mounting post 24 may be coupled to the adjustment element 18 so that the adjustable assembly 50 may be longitudinally extended or retracted along the adjustable spring 12. The mounting post 24 may be connected to the first mount 22. The first mount 22 may be configured to be releasably secured to the frame 30. The frame 30 may include a door, window, wall or any other vertical support. As shown in
A method of using the exercise apparatus 100 may include detachably mounting the first mount 22 to the top of the frame 30 so that the foot rest 20 is generally parallel and adjacent to the supporting surface such as the ground or floor, etc. The user may step onto the foot rest 20 with his lower back flush against the back rest 40. The user may grasp the pair of handle bars 10 with at least one hand to perform various abdominal exercises, for improving muscle tone or for physical therapy, while in a standing-position.
As shown in
Alternative embodiments of bending mechanisms are described with reference to
As shown in
For example, as will be later discussed, a first spring 14a may have a first length but lower spring constant than a second spring 14b which may have a shorter length and a higher spring constant. Such an intertwined assembly (see
As shown in
A kit as shown in
It will be further understood that as an alternative assembly, a kit may adaptively include a variety of alternative spring members (14, 14a, 14b, etc.) or alternative sleeve members 27 (e.g., multiple sleeve members) or optional assembly members 60 as otherwise discussed herein. Such alternatives may be differently assembled in differing kits without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as will be understood by those of skill in the art.
Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skills that the disclosure is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various modifications and variations can be made in the presently disclosed system without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. An exercise apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a height, the housing configured to be mounted to an external upright surface, a first longitudinal axis defined extending through the height;
- a biasing member, the biasing member including a substantially rigid upper section, a substantially rigid lower section, and a flexible joint therebetween, the flexible joint providing a flexural resistance, wherein the lower section is coupled to the housing and a second longitudinal axis defined extending through the upper section; and
- a handle coupled to the upper section,
- wherein the biasing member is transitionable between a first position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are generally collinear, and a second position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are at an angle with respect to one another, the biasing member being biased toward the first position;
- a foot rest, the foot rest being coupled to the housing;
- the foot rest includes a support surface, the surface defining a geometric plane, the support surface being transitionable between a first position in which the plane is pivotable with respect to the first longitudinal axis and a second position in which the plane is substantially orthogonal to the first longitudinal axis; and
- the foot rest is movable relative to said surface whereby, said foot rest is stowable between uses for enhanced convenience without removing said exercise apparatus from said surface.
2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the flexible joint includes a flexible tube and at least one spring element disposed within the tube.
3. The exercise apparatus of claim 2, wherein: the at least one spring element includes a first and second spring.
4. The exercise apparatus of claim 3, wherein: the first and second springs are intertwined such that they define a common central axis extending lengthwise therethrough.
5. The exercise apparatus of claim 2, wherein a flexible sleeve is disposed within the spring element, the sleeve being substantially aligned with the tube.
6. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the biasing member is releasably coupled to both the housing and the handle.
7. The exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
- the handle includes a pair of handles that are configured to conform to a shape of user's shoulders.
8. An exercise kit comprising:
- an exercise apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a height, the housing configured to be mounted to a surface, a first longitudinal axis extending through the height;
- at least one biasing member, the biasing member including a substantially rigid upper section, a substantially rigid lower section, and a flexible joint therebetween, the flexible joint providing a flexural resistance, wherein the lower section is coupled to the housing and a second longitudinal axis extends through the upper section; and
- a handle coupled to the upper section,
- wherein the at least one biasing member is transitionable between a first position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are generally parallel or collinear, and a second position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are orthogonal with respect to one another, the biasing member being biased toward the first position,
- wherein the at least one biasing member is releasably coupled to the housing and to the handle, the at least one biasing member including a plurality of biasing members, each of the plurality of biasing members having a different flexural resistance;
- a foot rest, the foot rest being coupled to the housing;
- the foot rest includes a support surface, the surface defining a geometric plane, the support surface being transitionable between a first position in which the plane is pivotable with respect to the first longitudinal axis and a second position in which the plane is substantially orthogonal to the first longitudinal axis; and
- the foot rest is movable relative to said surface whereby, said foot rest is stowable between uses for enhanced convenience without removing said exercise apparatus from said surface.
9. The exercise kit of claim 8, wherein:
- the flexible joint includes a biasing element.
10. The exercise kit of claim 9, wherein: the biasing element includes one or more springs.
11. The exercise kit of claim 10, wherein: the one or more springs are intertwined.
12. The exercise kit of claim 10, wherein: the biasing element includes a flexible material selected from one of a rubber and an elastic material.
13. The exercise kit of claim 8, further comprising:
- a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket being configured to secure the housing to an external surface.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Jun 24, 2015
Date of Patent: Jun 13, 2017
Patent Publication Number: 20150375034
Assignee: (Katonah, NY)
Inventor: Thomas Joseph Babon (Katonah, NY)
Primary Examiner: Loan H Thanh
Assistant Examiner: Megan Anderson
Application Number: 14/748,366
International Classification: A63B 21/04 (20060101); A63B 21/16 (20060101); A63B 23/02 (20060101); A63B 21/02 (20060101); A63B 21/045 (20060101); A63B 21/00 (20060101);